Issue with my Nork 1911A1

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Devonai

Devonai

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I have a Norinco 1911A1, which is my second such pistol. Like it's predecessor, it has been 100% reliable with FMJ and 185 and 230 grain JHP. Unlike it's predecessor, I have experienced problems with some of my Chip McCormick "Shooting Star" magazines.

My 7-round GI magazines have been trouble-free, but half of my 8-round CMC mags and my 10-round extended mag have given me a specific problem. These magazines give me a failure-to-eject on the last round. The case is getting jammed back underneath the feed lips of the magazine. This causes the case to be jammed against the slide as well, preventing a simple tap-rack clearing.

I suspect that either the mags are seated too high, or the extractor isn't angled right. I am inclined toward the former, as the GI mags do not exhibit this problem.

Any ideas?
 
Remember the "Fix the cheapest part" Rule. Try different mags before fiddling with the extractor.
 
The fact that it works fine on the 7 rounders indicates to me that there is nothing wrong with the extractor.
I have been told by many that the extra cap mags for 1911's regardless of gun manufacturer are usually not all that reliable. Sometimes you will find a make, that work flawlessly in a particular make of gun, but as a general rule I usually stay away from them.
 
Brent, I have a single Shooting Star mag that I use in a variety of 1911's includding Norks for target shooting and it works fine except I've never loaded it full. I like it mainly because it has smoother lips and doesn't wear on my delicate thumb. Doesn't yours only malfunction if you put 8 in?
 
Just out of curiosity, try it with less than 8. Hard to beat original GI 7 rounders though. I found a batch of used ones about a year ago and bought 10, cleaned up a bit, and every one fed like it should. Also had good luck with Cold mags.
 
So the empty case is compressing the follower enough to get partially back under the lips? Try a new/stronger mag spring.
/Bryan
 
Sorry Canuck, I failed to mention that the mags are brand new. That won't help.

Ulflyer, how will only loading it with 7 rounds make any difference? The same mechanical process is acting on the pistol.
 
Swap the spring and follower from one of the working mags and try it. Then you'll know if it's the guts or the mag body causing it.
 
Sorry Canuck, I failed to mention that the mags are brand new. That won't help.
Click to expand...

Just because the mags are brand new doesn't mean the springs can't be weak. Wilson Combat 47Ds, for example, tend to have weakish springs out of the package.
 
From the description given, it's mag springs or mag lips - essentially the only variables in the equation.

I'd get new +10% springs (on principle!) and try them or, as suggested, swap from known good mag. If the problem persists, it's got to be differences in the lips' angle or release point.

As noted, some brand new mags need a spring upgrade the day they arrive.
/B
 
The problem is with the extractor. The case should be held up against the breech face until it hits the ejector and it should not rely on the magazine to keep the empty from falling down.

If you don't want to monkey with the extractor you can improve the situation by monkeying with followers, springs, and magazines so that they will not allow the case to jam into the magazine. I just so happen to have some Wolff springs for McCormick magazines for sale in the classifieds :)
 
I kind of doubt extractor as a primary issue since all the 7 round mags are OK, but it's possible that both the 8 rnd springs AND the extractor are marginal.
/B
 
It may be helpful to know that my Chip McCormick 10-round "Power Mag" jams on the last round every single time. The other 8-round mags only jammed about 25% of the time.
 
I'm really surprised Tuner hasn't stopped by (yet) to preach the :evil:evils:evil: of non-standard, non-GI magazines.

Give it a minute.....
 
Switching magazines simply hides the issue as certain combinations of springs, followers, and feedlips allow the case to glide on top of the mag instead of catching on it.

The magazine is not involved in extraction/ejection unless a faulty extractor is allowing the head of the case to reach the magazine.

The theory that this is a magazine issue implies that the case is somewhere near the magazine when this should not be the case. Would anyone like to posit that it is acceptable for the head of the case to fall onto the magazine feed lips? Now that I have thrown down my hand I fear Tuner is going come and say that it is...
 
Norinco mags are said to be quite close to USGI specs, which is probably why they work so well with your gun. The 1911 design puts alot of value in the magasine. Your gun is a norinco, which is very close to USGI spec so I'm pretty sure the gun is perfectly fine and the magasine is to blame, fixing the gun to work with the magasine would probably mean altering it from proper 1911 specs.

I would try other magasines.

I am no real 1911 experts but I have see 1911 experts constantly remind people of the importance of good magasines in the the 1911 design. The design relies heavily on the magasine during loading, but I am not sure if that is true when extracting a spent shell.

At any rate I should be getting a norinco 1911A1 next week so I can see how it works for me.
 
Thank you for everyone's input. At this point I am most tempted to simply trade my CMC mags for some GI ones.

Here's a potentially stupid question: Are new factory Colt 1911 mags the same as GI?
 
And no, there are no longer any true USGI mags being manufactured, but the colt "hybrid" mags are as close as you'll get. See the article for more info on that.
Click to expand...
Checkmate is currently producing GI magazines. Same design they made when they did it for the .gov.
 
Checkmate is making both right now. There is a group buy going on over here. You can also see the separate listing for the GI mags here. Part number is CM45-7-S-GI
 
I have a poor opinion of Checkmate M9 magazines thanks to first-hand accounts from buddies in my National Guard unit who used them in Iraq, but I suppose it would be short-sighted to extend that opinion to a different product without trying it myself. Too bad they don't give away free samples.
 
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